Avalanche outplay Stars, but fall in shootout as best record in NHL race tightens

The battle to be the best team in the NHL between the Colorado Avalanche and the Dallas Stars lived up to the hype on Wednesday night at Ball Arena.

But in the end it was Dallas earning a 2-1 win in a shootout, slicing Colorado’s lead to only two points in the division and for the best record in the league. The Avs reached 98 points, earning one, while the Stars now have 96.

Colorado heavily outshot Dallas 34-18, but Stars goalie Jake Oettinger was a brick wall. Only Cale Makar solved him in the first period then Oettinger was perfect the rest of the way.

He stopped Valeri Nichushkin, Martin Necas and Nathan MacKinnon in the shootout. Wyatt Johnston beat Scott Wedegwood for the only shootout tally to give Dallas the extra point.

After the game, MacKinnon was clear he thought the Avalanche outplayed the Stars, but they didn’t didn’t do enough to beat Oettinger.

Nathan MacKinnon says the Avalanche have to get to Jake Oettinger more. Says Colorado has outshot and outplayed Dallas, but they’ve got to find a way to solve Oettinger. pic.twitter.com/uaybDs69r3

— Will Petersen (@PetersenWill) March 19, 2026

But even in defeat, Colorado head coach Jared Bednar was happy with his team. He said there was very little not to like about their effort — they just came up a little short. It was a very clean game from the Avs, not filled with mistakes like Monday night’s 7-2 loss to Pittsburgh.

“I have very little issues with how our team played… you play like that and good things will happen,” – Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar pretty happy with his team’s overall process even in the loss.

“It was one of our best efforts we’ve had in a long time.” pic.twitter.com/XtNJ2LUvWU

— Will Petersen (@PetersenWill) March 19, 2026

The game was 1-1 after a scoreless third period, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t entertaining. It had a playoff feel from the jump.

In the second period, Dallas stud Jason Robertson tied it a little more than six minutes into the frame. The Stars initially hit a post then the puck rebounded to Robertson. Wedgewood got a piece of it and nearly made a great save, but the puck found the back of the net to get things back to all square.

Very late in the second, MacKinnon had a great chance to give Colorado the lead back, but he was robbed by  Oettinger. It’s a theme that Avalanche fans know all too well and things headed to the third tied at one goal apiece.

Shots on goal were hard to come by in the first period with just eight total all frame and at one point shots were 2-0 Avalanche with only a handful of minutes to go.

But a late penalty on the Stars opened the door for the scoring to get rolling. During a season in which there’s been constant chatter about Colorado’s power play, Makar answered the bell.

He took a great pass from Nazem Kadri and did not miss, putting the Avalanche up 1-0 after the first 20 minutes. It was Makar’s 20th goal on the year.

Next up for the Avalanche is a four-game road trip that will begin on Friday night in Chicago against the Blackhawks.

Points will be at a premium, especially with the lead in the division now down to only two. The Avs do have a game in hand on the Stars, so it can get to four points before the weekend.

Overall, Colorado was the better team, but the scoreboard said differently. This should be a fight to the finish through the middle of April before the real fun and the playoffs begin.

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